Clamp and rail-brace.



J. J. GVRIHIN n A. W. MUTE.

CLAMP AND RAIL BEAGB.

APPLIGATION'IILBD rms. 2, 1909.

y f l l @Witnesses lj-d M v ,yffm

J. J. GRIFFIN & A. W. MUTE. CLAMP AND RAIL BRAUE.

APPLICATION FILED TBB. 2, 1909.

kPatantel Nov. 23, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN J. eErFFrNeA'Nn AUGUsTUs, w. ivrUrH, oF sFAEKs, GEORGIA.

CLAMP AND RAIL-FRAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. j

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Application filed February 2, 1909. Serial No. 475,613.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN J. GRIFFIN and` AUGUSTUS IV. MU'rH, citizens of the United States, residing at Sparks, in the county of Berrien and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clamps and Rail-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railroad clamps and track braces, the object being to provide a brace which is so constructed that it will form a sleeper for the rail.

Another object of ourinvention is rto provide a brace withmeans for clamping the rails in position thereon so that it will be impossible for the rails to move after having been secured in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brace and clamp which is formed of a sleeper bar having. grooves formed therein provided with overhanging tongues adapted to fit over the base of the rail on the inside and clamping'member's adapted to work in said grooves and over the flanges of the rail on the outside.

A still further object of our invention is to provide` novel means for holding the clamping members in position.

Vith these various objects in View, our invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of'this specification: Figure l is a top plan view of our preferred form of clamp and track brace. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

In carrying out our improved invention, we employ a sleeper bar A adapted to be arranged on a tie and provided with grooves having overlapping tongues A', A2, the tongues A extending over the fiange of the base of the rail so as to hold it in position. These braces are adapted to be used at the joints of the rails and for clamping the joints together at the same time forming a brace, we employ a clamping member B which is provided with a beveled portion B coacting with the beveled portion A3 of the tongue A2 formed by the groove so that when forced in position, it will be wedged against the web ofthe rail, the member being cut away to receive the flange of the base and arranged upon the opposite side of the ends of the rails is a fish plate C which is notched as shown to receive the tongue A and the plate is secured to the member B by bolts B2 passing transversely through the web of the rail. The member B is also provided with notches through whicha staple D is adapted to pass for securing thesleeper bar upon the tie, and it. will be seen that this staple yat the same time holds the member B in position within the groove against the rail so that all danger of 1t moving 1s prevented.

.Arranged within the groovein which the opposite rail is placed is a clamping mem' ber F which is also provided with a beveled portion co-acting withthe beveled end of the tongue of the groove and the clamping member F is cut away to receive the base Harige and is provided with a flange which fits under the tongue of the groove so that after being placed in position, it will be held against the web of the rail tightly. For securing this member in the groove, we employ a staple Gr which is driven over the member into the tie, which holds the sleeper bar in position on the tie so as to prevent the same from creeping, and it will be seen that by this construction it will be impossible for the rails to spread in any way.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the rail brace is in the form of a sleeper bar which is enlarged so as to enable the same to be used without a tie and will rest upon the bed when in use as an ordinary tie. The sleeper bar H is provided with grooves toreceive the rails having overlapping tongues I, I2, the tongues I fitting over the base of the rail against theweb of the rail and the tongues I2 are provided with beveled ends co-acting with the beveled faces of clamping members J and K which are provided with tongues which fit under the tongues I2. The clamping member J is especially adapted to be used at the joint of the rails and is secured to the rails by transverse bolts J which pass through the web and through a fish plate L arranged on the inside of the rails, the fish plate being `notched to receive the tongue I" and it will be seen that by this construction the clamping member will be securely locked against the rails so that it will be impossible for the rails to spread.

The clamping member K is driven into the groove so as to force the beveled face against the beveled face of th..- tongue Which forces the rail against the tongue I, and after it has been placed into position a clip M is placed around the sleeper bar, the ends being brought up along side of the clamping member K and a bolt is secured through the ends and clamping bar so as to securely lock the bar in position.

It will be seen by this construction that after the rails have been placed in the groove by driving the clamping members into position, they Will be forced against the tongues .and securely held whereby all danger of the rails creeping or spreading is prevented and at the same time it will not be necessary to aline the track as in use these bars are formed of metal the exact size so that when the rails are driven against the tongues, the proper gage will be obtained.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A clamp and rail brace comprising a sleeper bar provided With grooves having projecting tongues adapted to receive the rails, the outside tongues being provided with beveled faces and clamping members provided with beveled faces co-acting With said tongues adapted to engage said rails, and staples for securing said clamping meinbers in position in said grooves.

2. A clamp and rail brace comprising a sleeper bar adapted to be arranged on a tie, said bar being provided with grooves having inwardly projecting tongues, tWo of said tongues being provided With beveled faces and the other two having straight faces adapted to engage the Web of the rails, clamping members provided With beveled faces arranged in said grooves co-acting With the beveled faces of the tongues, and

staples arranged over said clamping members extending into the tie for holding said clamping members and sleeper bar in position.

3. A rail brace and clamp comprising a sleeper bar having grooves to receive rails, clamping members arranged in said grooves engaging the outside of said rails, and staples arranged over said sleeper bar engaging said clamping members and extending into the tie for holding said sleeper bar and clamping members in position.

JOHN J. GRIFFIN. AUGUSTUS W. MUTH. Witnesses:

D. MACK GRIFFIN, HOMER J. HALL. 

